Shanyana Shana Tano Sheruy
by Dawnbright75.Aracalima
Summary: The title is Sylvian, and you will ind out what it means in this Fablehaven one-shot. This story is not connected to my other stories, just for pointers. Kendra is in the Fairy Realm, where they do not celebrate Thanksgiving. The poor are more needy than ever, and that's when Kendra gets her idea that will go down in fairy history.


**A/N It's almost turkey time... But is that really what Thanksgiving is all about? This story exposes awareness of the poor, and yes, I am still in my Tamora Pierce phase :). This one-shot is not connected to my other Fablehaven stories. **

**Thank you, but I do not own Fablehaven. **

**Happy Thanksgiving, Dawnbright75**

Shanyana Shana Tano Sheruy

"You mean— you don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the Fairy Realm?" Kendra whispered. She faced Bracken, shocked. "You don't have a day to give thanks to what you have?"

Bracken shrugged. "We do. But not the same as yours. We give thanks to titles, gifts, and family."

Kendra frowned. "Titles. What about the beings who have the title of 'Homeless'?" An idea was forming, slowly but it was a good one.

Bracken patted her shoulder. "I know you have a strong dislike about poverty, now that you don't have the burden of saving the world from utter destruction. But you have to accept I don't have much power in this universe, the decision making part, I mean. Mother and Father ultimately rule our realm, while I am only the heir, and you the consort. Until I am... King, until I am king, and you are my queen, we will have to make do with what we have." He looked at her in the eye, his clear blue eyes serious. "Don't cross Mother, you hear me? She has more power than she shows, and believe me, when she's in a temper, you don't want to be the one who is her victim."

Kendra clasped her hands promptly behind her back. "Fine, then. I think I'll be taking a walk into the streets then, down Briar & Mud Avenue." She named the dirt street where all the homeless beings held their domain. "I'll just be visiting the restroom," she called over her shoulder, as she climbed the spiral staircase up to her room.

Bracken stared after her, speechless and dumbfounded. He saw truth in his words, and his beliefs as well. He didn't tell her that his mother cared for the poor, but of course she knew that. What she didn't know was that the Fairy Queen and King didn't believe the poor deserved a holiday. Did he? Maybe, he was on the fence. With Kendra swaying him, her wrath almost as powerful as his parents', he might as well give in. It was true, however, that he didn't have control over what occurred in the realm, and what didn't. And he definitely not plotting against their royal backs. Or was he?

xXx

Kendra dug threw her dresser, something she installed inside her closet. She held a large bag made from dried grasses open in her hands as she selected shoes, shorts, jackets, and shirts. She set them neatly in her bag. Setting her things by her locked door, she packed up her spare quilts and pillows. She also put food in a container, and added that to her load.

Wait— how was she to carry this? Frowning with grim determination, she piled the bags onto her shoulders. Unlocking the door, then pried it open, and then hobbled out into the corridor.

"Kendra? You okay? You've been in that restroom for an awful long time."

As Bracken's voice drifted around the corner, Kendra stumbled. "I'm fine," she hissed.

"Are you sure? Your voice sounds strain," he noted with concern.

"I said, I'm fine!" she protested. "Leave be, will you?"

He gave up after that. Thank goodness he knows when to stop!

Scowling, Kendra dragged herself to a royal elevator. She barely managed to press a button. The doors parted, and she slowly became horrified. Two human-sized fairies gawked at her, but knew better than to ask. She struggled past them, and took her flight to the first floor.

"Virtuous, let me help!"

A low growl escaped her throat. Her legs were giving. With a sigh, she dropped her burden. "You're not telling, are you? I believed that last part, about your mother."

"Of course I'm not!" he said, offended. "You don't think I'd get my maiden in trouble that easily, do you?" He eased her load. "Come on. We must get going if we want to make it before sunset."

xXx

Boots splashed in mud puddles. Two figures trudged drearily as dusk touched the sky. They carried packages on their backs, and they muttered crossly. They passes a rock engraved with the words: Briar & Mud Avenue.

"Right. No one's here." Bracken halted. He wiped sweat from his brow.

"I know just how to draw them out," Kendra replied. She reached into a sack and produced a blanket. She laid it on the muddy ground. Then she scattered fresh fruit on onto the cloth. "Step back," she whispered. "We don't want to scare them."

Indeed, once they had stepped into the shadows, ragged fairies, elves, and sprites crawled from the shelter. A pixie with dark pink hair in pigtails gnawed on a very red apple. She stopped suddenly, and gazed right into Kendra's eyes. Squeaking, she dropped her apple core and fled.

Hurrying, before the others left too, Kendra unloaded her clothing. Bracken raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. She lay those on the blanket, with was already stained with brown slush. She felt bad that there were none fore the boys and adults, but this was as much as she had dared to manage.

Bracken touched her back. "Don't worry," he murmured. He took a pack of his shoulder. She realized it was one she hadn't brought.

Smiling, she nodded. She also distributed quilts and pillows. Seeing how dirty the poor were, she wished she had brought magical sanitizer. With winter coming, so many of these brings would die. "Bracken," she gasped, tugging his sleeve. "I have an idea."

After Bracken had dished out his boys' clothes, he started on another bag. "Wait, Virtuous. I haven't finished yet." He removed robes and larger clothes. A crown was sewn into the back, signaling it was made by a royal seamstress.

Shock flew through her veins. "You smuggled your parents' clothes?" she choked out.

Grinning foolishly, he patted her back. "Your words really got to me. I guess I figured Mother and Father could get some more, and some beings need them more."

"I'm glad you got the point," she yawned. "We'd better get back to the palace. Thanksgiving is only two days away, and if your sisters and you are joining us at Fablehaven, we'll need our strength to work the portal."

The walk home was slow. The air was gradually growing colder, and when the sky was dark, Kendra's teeth were chattering. She took several dips in freezing water holes. Wet and tired, the realm's maiden stumbled into a warm bath. Foggy with delight and dizziness, Kendra fell into bed.

xXx

The dawn sun rose the next day. Kendra was slow to wake, being of her ordeal the day before. Trying to clear her throat, Kendra coughed and had a glass of ice water. She got dressed as if she were a slug, not really thinking about what she was doing, rather she depended on routine.

"Kendra! Your hair is a mess!"

Kendra turned her exhausted eyes on Zangom, the head healer and Bracken's third eldest sister. "Guess I forgot to brush it," she wheezed. "It's all right. I can live."

The unicorn frowned. "Nuh-uh. You're going to be back in bed, mistress." She steered Kendra into her room once more.

She didn't remember much after that. At noon, Bracken brought in her lunch. His hair was slick with sweat, and his face showed he knew something she didn't. But she was too sick to care too much about that.

"Good afternoon, Virtuous," he sighed. "Zang said you'd be here." He helped her sit up. "That journey of ours must've overdone you. The weather didn't help. She says you don't have a fever, but just a really bad cold."

"Thanks." Her voice sounded weird. "I hope I'm better for Thanksgiving tomorrow." She stirred her stew unenthusiastically. Something looked like dead crushed crickets.

Lips brushed her forehead. "Even if you aren't, I know some beings who will."

She didn't take his words into account. She was asleep, and having

nightmares about crushed crickets and homeless folk.

xXx

The next day, Kendra felt little better. She felt a little more energetic, but not well. She was able to sit up on her own and play board games with Bracken. However, Zang would not allow her to return to Fablehaven or join the feast. She was very firm that she must stay in bed and rest.

The homeless still need me! As far as she had heard, the Prince hadn't been caught stealing clothes. She still wished she was allowed to have fun with the others though.

Her door creaked open at midmorning. Bracken entered, holding a little girl's hand: the little pixie's.

"Ezmeriah here says she wanted to visit you," Bracken stated quietly.

The young girl followed Bracken inside. She looked uncomfortable holding the Prince's hand, while she was nothing more than a homeless commoner. "Greetings, Maiden Kendra," she said, her voice wavering. "Mother doesn' know where I am. I told her my idea to see you, and she said I was being silly."

Kendra reached over and raised Ezmeriah's chin. "You were brave," Kendra told her, her voice cracking. "But you shouldn't stray from your mother. She'll be worried."

The pixie's lower lip quivered. "But I wanted to thank you for bringing the food and clothes last night."

Kendra's heart stopped. The feeling was so joyous— the look of a poor, homeless being's face when they had been given a gift. "You're welcome," Kendra whispered. "I wish I could give more."

Ezmeriah's face lit up. "I have to go now. I brought you this." She held up a wilted, pink flower in her grimy hand. "I hope you get better soon!"

Bracken winked at her as he led the girl out of the room. Kendra gazed down at the flower in her hand. She decided she would press it, and cherish it forever.

xXx

At evening, Bracken returned. "Zang says you can come now," he reported. "But go easy on the food; she doesn't want you to get more sick."

Still in her clothes she has dressed in sloppily the morning she had gone ill, she redressed in more respective clothing. Bracken helped her into the elevator as they rode down to the dining hall.

She stopped dead in the entryway. Hoards of homeless beings swarmed the buffet. Several more were feasting on turkey and mashed potatoes. She recognized many of the poor that had come out and grabbed her gifts on the day of her expedition. "Bracken, what is this?" she whispered. "Who brought them all here?"

"You created a new holiday, love," he responded. "Sanyana shana tano Sheruy."

"Gifts for the Poor," Kendra repeated, the facts jut sinking in. "I created it? You mean, every year, on the day of Thanksgiving, the Fairy Realm will celebrate Sanyana shana tano Sheruy? And I made it possible?"

"Well...," Bracken stammered, blushing. "I convinced Mother and Father you had the right idea. I got support from my sisters. Even Alisha thought it was a genious plan! All the I'll or injured poor are being treated with the proper medicine and care by no other but Zang and her Circle. The children are being given gifts to share with heir families, including a deluxe education and small homes. One lady elf wept tears of happiness on my tunic." He showed her the stain.

"Wow," Kendra breathed. "I can't believe all this is happening."

Two dark pink pigtails bobbed as Ezmeriah ran up to her. "Maiden Kendra! I'm so happy you could come!"

Kendra laughed. "You knew and didn't tell me? And please, call me Kendra."

"Okay, Kendra." The pixie leapt into her open arms. "I am to be your escort."

"Escort to where?" Kendra asked, putting Ezmeriah down.

Ezmeriah held Kendra's hand as she led her to a table decorated in fall leaves and a cornucopia. "Here," she said.

Grandpa and Grandma Larsen and Sorenson sat across from each other. Farther down, Marla and Scott Sorenson sat. Finally, Bracken's sisters joined at the end, with Seth sitting next to Alisha. Two empty spaces on the bench remained. A family of pixies sat on the end of the table next to them, where Ezmeriah left for. Kendra realized it was her family.

"Kendra!" Marla took her daughter into her arms. "We've missed you! Are you feeling better?"

She nodded. "I thought I was coming to Fablehaven."

Grandpa shrugged. "We heard you were ill, and Her Majesty invited us. You wouldn't think we'd let you miss Thanksgiving— or Sanyana shana tano Sheruy."

"You know," Kendra said. "Oh, Grandpa! When Bracken and I are married, I promise to take care of Fablehaven the best I can."

He smiled warmly at her. "I'm sure you will. Now how about you and your fiancé go sit and eat."

Kendra nodded. She settled next to Bracken as they murmured their prayers in Sylvian, and then in English.

"Asal vershan bestivu gasi marcola, yamari gasi shanyana. Iopa gasi sanata. Gacary shana estaña.

"We bless health and beauty, wealth and gifts. Family and friends. Thanks for life."

"Happy Shanyana shana tano Sheruy," Bracken told her with a smile.

"Happy Sanyana shana tano Sheruy," she agreed. "Happy Thanksgiving."


End file.
